Old obituaries intrigue me. Some are extremely blunt while others are written with such flair that you do not see in obituaries today. The obituary of interest is one that is very artistic and beautiful. It was clearly written by a writer and not just a newspaper reporter giving the facts. It was so elegant that I checked to see if it had a byline.
The Obituary
The obituary is reprinted in its entirety for ease of reading. It is written as close to the original as possible. Thus, grammar and capitalization may not be as expected.
Beautiful Spirit
Crosses the Sea From Beulah Land to the Shining Glory Shore.
The phases of human nature and of human life are infinite in their variety. While death waits upon the footsteps, and claims some almost before the breath of life has been given, and walks beside others throughout length of days until the supreme summons is heard in the evening of a long life, his form invisible and his step unheard, he witnesses all the emotions and experiences of which human nature is capable. He sees those who weather the storms and those who dwell beneath sunny skies; those who lurk in the shadows of the valleys and those who dwell upon the mountains heights; those whose eyes are ever cast downward, and those who are looking upward and forward and whose faces are glorified by the visions of the heavenly home as seen from Beulah land by those who walk with God.
One of the most beautiful lives to which his call has come in this city was that of Mrs. Susan Phillips Kearsley, who fell asleep at 6:13 o’clock Sunday evening, Oct. 13, 1912. Mrs. Kearsley had long been feeble, bending under the weight of years. She had passed into a serene old age, and tranquilly watched the lengthening of the shadows, and realized that her feet were treading the dark pathways of the valley of death. Yet she feared no evil, leaning upon the rod and staff which comfort His people. She dwelt upon the heights, her spirit in constant communication with the Infinite, and she grew in grace, in beauty of character, in content and peace until the messenger beckoned and she entered into the rest prepared for them that love and serve Him. Her illness, like her life, was tranquil, and she fell into her final slumber with a smile upon her lips, like a tired child into the restful sleep of infancy.
The funeral will be held from her late residence corner of Land and Mansfield streets, at 3 o’clock Wednesday afternoon. The services in accordance with her own request will be very brief and simple, and will be conducted by Rev. H. G. Wilkinson and Rev. F. H. Keller. Interment will be made in Oakwood cemetery.
Susan I. Phillips, daughter of Isaac and Maria (McCracken) Phillips, was born at Salem, Columbiana county, on April 5, 1827, her earthly pilgrimage continuing for 85 years, 6 months and 8 days. Her father died when she was a babe, and in 1828 her mother came to Bucyrus to be near relatives and friends. She was for a long time a member of the family of John Moderwell, an uncle, the father of Major F. C. and Mr. John Moderwell who were as brothers to her. When the Union school building in this city was put in service she began teaching here and continued in the service for two years. The Moderwell family removed to Genesco, Ill., and she accompanied them there, and for three years was a teacher in the public schools of that city. On Sept. 7, 1875, she was united in marriage with the late Edmund R. Kearsley of Bucyrus, and the remainder of her life was spent in this city.
After Major Kearsley’s death a few years ago she remained in the old home, with members of the Moderwell family as companions.
No woman in Bucyrus was more widely known or more highly honored than Mrs. Kearsley. Her charity was broad and embraced all mankind. Her heart was filled with kindly good will toward all, and she employed the means that had been placed in her hands to lighten the burdens and cheer the hears of those about her. In this there was no ostenation, and thoroughly as her charitable disposition was known, only the recipients of her kindness and bounty could relate the story of her benefactions. Even they could not tell it all, for she never let her left hand know what her right hand did, and many were the comfortable and happy days spent by those who did not know to whom they owed their blessings, beyond that primarily it was to the Giver of All Good.
In social life she was an unquestioned leader, though she never put herself to the front. Her liberal education, her versatile talents, her tact, and her kindliness made it inevitable that she should be called into positions of prominence. She was a member of the Round Table, the first successful woman’s club of the city, and for many years was a member of the New Era club, of which she was honorary president at the time of her death. When the Bucyrus clubs were federated she became the oldest member of the Ohio Federation of [Women’s] clubs. This distinction she held as long as she lived. She was interested in the public welfare and in every movement for the moral uplift and for the material and intellectual improvement of the community. The institution of the Y.M.C.A. was made possible by her liberality, and she was deeply interested and a great helper in the establishment of the public hospital and the public library.
Mrs. Kearsley was from childhood a faithful and consistent member of the Presbyterian church. Her faith was simple and trusting and undisturbed by doubts. She was active all her life long in every department of church work, and in the Ladies’ Aid society of which also she was a valued member. Her service was unceasing and was attuned to the longing expressed in the beautiful hymn, in the line, “Oh, that my Saviour were your Saviour too.” Her disposition was sweet and her life as pure and true as her character. In all things she was unselfish and loyal seeking rather to give than to receive service. She was loved by all who knew her, and respected by the entire range of her acquaintance. In her passing her church, her friends and her community have sustained a great loss. She will be long remembered by those left behind. As she believed in the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man, so she has been garnered into the eternal treasure house, into the perfect peace which is assured to her whose mind was stayed on Him.
Telegraph-Forum, Bucyrus, Ohio, October 15, 1912 (via newspapers.com).
How Is Susan Related?
The exact relationship to Susan isn’t proven. However, she is a member of the family that DNA has led me to identify as Lemuel’s McCracken’s (my great-great grandfather) McCracken branch.
Susan’s mother Maria (McCracken) Philips was the daughter of James McCracken and Rachel Kelly. Members of my family match descendants of several of Maria’s siblings. Although Lemuel used the name McCracken, Y-DNA indicates that his father was a Peppard. Thus, based on our many matches to this family, it appears that Maria is either the sister or aunt of Lemuel’s mother. This would make Susan Lemuel’s first cousin or first cousin once removed.
Read about my research of Lemuel’s ancestors.
Read about the status of my research as of 1/1/2025.
More Details of Susan’s Life
Early Life
Susan Ianthe (Philips) Kearsey was the second child of Maria and her husband James Philips. (The obituary says his name was Isaac. Perhaps it was James Isaac. However, their marriage record lists him as James.) Susan’s father died the same year that she was born and her mother died seven years later. That left Susan and Samantha, her only sibling who was two years her senior, orphans at ages 7 and 9.
As mentioned in the obituary, after her mother died, Susan went to live with her Aunt Nessie (McCracken) Moderwell’s family. Nessie and her husband John welcomed Susan into their home and treated her as their own child. Over the years, they raised several children besides their own. I am not sure if her sister Samantha also lived with the Moderwell family or not. In 1850 and beyond, Samantha is living with her cousin Susan (McCracken) Huston, a daughter of Maria’s brother Nathaniel.
Illinois Bound
In 1870 the Moderwell’s household included Susan, John and Nessie Moderwell and one of their children, Susan’s aunt Susan McCracken who was unmarried, a son of Nessie’s brother John, Ohio Supreme Court justice Josiah Scott who had married Nessie’s sister Elizabeth, Josiah’s daughter and his second wife (Elizabeth had died), and a teenage girl who does not appear to be a member of the family. It must have been interesting with so many different people living in one household.
Around 1872, the Moderwell family moved to Genesco, Illinois to be closer to John and Maria’s sons who had previously moved to the area. Susan went with them. Around the same time, Samantha and the Huston family also moved to the same location.
Marriage
Susan married Edmund Roberts Kearsley of Bucyrus, Ohio on September 7, 1875 in Henry County, Illinois. To say that she married well if you base it on wealth would be an understatement. However, the same also applied if you based your assessment on how well respected he was, as well. Susan, herself, was quite well known and respected.
Edmund had lost his first wife a year and a half earlier. During the time leading up to their marriage, Susan was in Illinois and he was in Ohio. I don’t know if they courted via correspondence prior to the marriage or if he just took a notion and went to Illinois to ask her to marry him. In any case, the marriage appeared to receive the approval of the Bucyrus Journal, which described them as follows . . .”both the bride and groom are well known, and are favorites for their many estimable qualities.”
It was said that Edmund “looks the high-bred and wealthy man he is.” He and his family were very well known. He signed the hotel register with his last name only, which was seen as a sign of his importance. Everyone knew who he was. (Source: Telegraph-Forum, Nov. 23, 1888)
Married Life
After Edmund and Susan married, they moved back to Bucyrus, Ohio. Susan became the lady of the house or perhaps I should say, “Lady of the mansion.” The home at 309 E. Mansfield, designed with Victorian architecture, was quite large for the two of them and his daughter Rebecca.
Due to the age at which they married, Edmund and Susan had no children. Susan did help raise Edmund’s daughter Rebecca and Rebecca’s daughter Margaret Sarah White who lived with them for some time. In addition, they put their energy into local clubs, philanthropy, volunteering, and other endeavors.
They also kept in close touch with the Moderwell family. When Nessy was ill just prior to her death, Susan went to her bedside to be with her in her last days. After all, she was a mother to her.
Their legacy
Upon Edmund’s Death
When Edmund died, he willed everything to Susan except several properties that went to his daughter Rebecca.
Rebecca had sued several years earlier for a large sum of money ($900,000 in the 1880s) saying that Edmund tricked her into signing away her rights to property he inherited from his father. She said that her grandfather’s will stated the property belonged to Edmund during his life and would go to his descendants upon her father’s death. She also claimed that he had sold some of the properties owed to her.
I am not sure the outcome of her lawsuit. However, Edmund’s will stated that if his daughter did not accept the properties offered to her in his will as her full inheritance, the properties would then go to Susan.
Upon Susan’s Death
Susan continued to live in their home after Edmund passed away. When she died, Susan spread the family’s wealth to various people who were important in her life. You will notice that Susan’s sister Samantha was not included in the will. That is because Samantha had died in Illinois some years earlier without any children.
The Elks Lodge
After Susan died, the family home, which Margaret Sarah White (Edmund’s granddaughter) inherited, was purchased by the Elks Lodge. They added a sizeable addition to the rear of the home. They reported that at one time they had between 500 and 600 members. That demonstrates how large the home was. Over the years, the number of members dwindled and the Elks considered selling the property and purchasing a smaller facility. However, they continue to own the property today.
Major Kearsley School
After both Edmund and Susan had died, a new school was named after Edmund. Other schools in the area had been named after significant figures in the area’s history. The decision to name it after Edmund was unanimous. The school was named “Major Kearsley School” and commonly called “Kearsley School.” Susan would have been very proud to have her husband’s name on the school as in her younger years, she had taught school in both Bucyrus and Genesco.
The school sat on several acres and had a unique design with no hallways. Between the six classrooms was a large auditorium with a stage. It was designed to be used as a multi-purpose room and also as a community center. The school served the city’s students from 1920 until 2009. Photos of the school at the time it was closed can be found on Flickr.
Kearsley Street, although just a few blocks long, still exists in Bucyrus today!
Featured Image: Susan (Philips) Kearsley. Courtesy of ahaslip333 on ancestry.com.
Prompt: Artistic
#52ancestors52weeks